i went down to joshua tree this last december, and i fell in love with it there. if anybody gets the chance to go climbing there, then i HIGHLY recommend it! its one of the best places on earth im tellin ya. :lol:

First time at Joshua tree was at the gathering in Jan. It was amazing, your right about the sunsets. Incredible!!! I'm going back April 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th and taking the lead course with J-tree climbing school. I can't wait!! Has anyone taken the lead climbing course down there??

I lived there for 2 yrs, and hated it, but when I went back there it was awesome, but I have to say, if you are a beginner JT is not a good place to go.....all need to know there are no anchors...rappel stations yes, most of the rocks have lost there holds, so that needs to be addressed to new comers, and beginners. I found I couldn't climb anything there because the climbs have changed due to the fact that its illegal to replace, or fix bolts. I say its best for bouldering and not climbers. When I went down there with my husband, it was a disappointment is all, camping was the funnest part of the whole trip!!! Hidden Valley was so much fun!!!

if you are a beginner JT is not a good place to go.....all need to know there are no anchors...rappel stations yes, most of the rocks have lost there holds, so that needs to be addressed to new comers, and beginners. I found I couldn't climb anything there because the climbs have changed due to the fact that its illegal to replace, or fix bolts.

Thanks for sharing that experience, NOT!!!LOL, and what I saw this past OCT. there wasn't much for beginners, we looked, I did a 5.9 on the Thin wall which was fun, but as for the cracks, they were too hard....some people said that on the easier climbs the holds had fallen off....the rock is only magma, and its coming down, but peeps were having fun bouldering, and I don't do bouldering. The weird part about it was that there were not many climbers there, it wasn't busy at all...camping was easy to find a space....but there were a ton of bouldering peeps there. And the people were saying that since anchors and new bolts were not allowed it was going to pretty much be bouldering....bolts were missing or broken, so sorry if you think I didn't look....the guide we had was written in 1992, and it became a national forest in 1994, I lived there in 1989 when it was still a monument

Thanks for sharing that experience, NOT!!!LOL, and what I saw this past OCT. there wasn't much for beginners, we looked,...

Apparently not too long or deeply. There are over 8000 routes in the park. Here's a guide that describes 60 of them from 5.5-5.9: http://www.amazon.com/...Guide+to+Joshua+TreeThere are a lot more of that 8000 that would qualify as "beginner" or "easy".

cpope39 wrote:

I did a 5.9 on the Thin wall which was fun, but as for the cracks, they were too hard....

Maybe you need to learn how to climb cracks better.

cpope39 wrote:

...some people said that on the easier climbs the holds had fallen off....

So you're repeating unverified hearsay as fact.

cpope39 wrote:

...the rock is only magma,...

What do you think magma is? Jtree is granite - the same stuff Yosemite is made of. Magma is the mixture of molten rock below the earth's crust - it isn't a type of rock.

cpope39 wrote:

And the people were saying that since anchors and new bolts were not allowed it was going to pretty much be bouldering....

They, like you, are highly misinformed.

cpope39 wrote:

....the guide we had was written in 1992, and it became a national forest in 1994, I lived there in 1989 when it was still a monument

It became a national park, not forest, in 1995. Since 1992 there have been at least 8 major revisions/updates/new guidebooks. You go to a climbing area and don't spring to replace your 20 year old guidebook? Seriously? No wonder you couldn't find anything to climb.

JOSHUA TREE IS NOT A GYM. YO MOMMA WILL NOT BE THERE TO PICK YOU UP AND TREAT YOUR BOOBOO!

It is a serious area with lots of sandbag ratings, but once you begin to get used to it, you will fall in love - with the rock. Just TAKE IT SLOW and be open to the guidance and suggestions of others.

HAVE FUN, BUT BE SAFE.

As well it is NOT a Sport Crag. It is an old Trad area. Dispite a number of face climbs being bolted. As such, there are few bolted anchors. If there is a crack to place cams or nuts for an anchor, you will be expected to do so. If there is a walk off, you will be expected to do so with no rap anchors. The route in my pic being such an example, pro is 1 nut, one cam, two bolts. Anchor is 3 FCU's, descent is a walk off the other side. As such your laps/mileage will be much lower. The rock is Igneous, Quartz Monzonite. The rock has broken and routes have gotten harder: http://www.rockclimbing.com/...nched_Rib_13227.htmlYo Jorge whats up old freind? Think that about covers it. Climb safe all!

I lived there for 2 yrs, and hated it, but when I went back there it was awesome, but I have to say, if you are a beginner JT is not a good place to go.....all need to know there are no anchors...rappel stations yes, most of the rocks have lost there holds, so that needs to be addressed to new comers, and beginners. I found I couldn't climb anything there because the climbs have changed due to the fact that its illegal to replace, or fix bolts. I say its best for bouldering and not climbers. When I went down there with my husband, it was a disappointment is all, camping was the funnest part of the whole trip!!! Hidden Valley was so much fun!!!

Wow, lot's of misinformation here. I'm not sure what your problem was with living here. I've lived in Josh for 15 years and love the place, and the community. Perhaps you were unable to find your way.

As far as the bolting issues go, you are far off the mark. It would be best if you didn't let your ignorance get the best of you and restrain yourself from disseminating bad information.

dear social climber, I am very sorry that you feel like I misinformed, but this is was what I experienced, and what was told by people who were there this last Oct....and as for your reading goes, you need to learn to read. I said when I was living there for 2 yrs, in 1989, that town was nothing, and very boring, and hot!!!But when I went back it was awesome.....so I think you need to be nicer, and if people like you live there, then I am so glad I don't live there anymore. I was stating my opinions, and if you don't like them then don't read it!!!!But people need I think need a broader view, and don't expect it to be a paradise of climbing, but I wasn't saying it was all bad, but with the fact that I have been traveling around and have seen so many other places that had a lot better climbing than that.....for any type of climber from 5.0 to 5.13's, and that wasn't it. I drove 3700 miles to find out I couldn't climb, but that was ok, because I got to experience it, it was a wonderful place, so kiss my butt!